SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Ron Moquett wasted little time announcing Whitmore’s retirement shortly after the reigning sprint champion was vanned off following his fifth-place finish in Saturday’s Grade 1 Forego. But apparently that news came as a surprise to Whitmore himself, who acted like it was business as usual around the barn Sunday morning.

“He’s fine, he ate all his food last night, he was walking around his stall soundly and ready for his normal rituals at the barn this morning,” Moquett reported. “He doesn’t know he’s been retired.”      

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - America’s Joy, an unraced 3-year-old filly who sold for $8.2 million as a yearling in 2019, died Sunday morning from injuries suffered while working out over Saratoga’s main track.

Attorneys for the trainer Bob Baffert have asked a U.S. District Court judge in New York to approve a request that would require the New York Racing Association to award him nearly $160,000 in attorney fees.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The immediate path forward for Tripoli toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic, to which he earned a fees-paid berth via a Pacific Classic victory at Del Mar on Saturday, may not be determined until this weekend, when barnmate Rock Your World returns to action in the Shared Belief Stakes, also at Del Mar.

Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., canceled its Sunday racing card after an overnight fire destroyed its receiving barn, track officials said.

No horses were seriously injured, according to racing secretary Dan Bork, who said seven horses were removed from the barn when the fire began at approximately 4 a.m., although one horse was described as having a “minor injury.” The receiving barn holds ship-ins from other racetracks.

No humans were in the barn at the time the fire started, racing officials said.

Before he formed the MyRacehorse micro-ownership syndicate, Michael Behrens operated a Southern California advertising agency that listed Public Storage as a client.

Behrens had a longstanding interest in racing and knew that B. Wayne Hughes, the founder of the self-storage company, was one of the nation’s leading owners. As Behrens was in the early days of putting together MyRacehorse, he sought Hughes for advice in early 2019.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – B. Wayne Hughes, the American billionaire whose Spendthrift Farm embraced a number of breeding innovations, died Wednesday at Spendthrift “with his loving family at his side,” according to the farm. Hughes was 87.

This season at Saratoga will be the first one since 1937 where the New York Turf Writers Cup will not be run. In its stead will be first running of the race in honor of Jonathan Sheppard, Hall of Fame trainer, gentleman, and legend of the turf, both on the flat and over the jumps.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A quartet of double-digit-priced winners helped generate a $145,196 pick-6 carryover into Wednesday’s card at Saratoga.

Sunday’s sequence began with a rare longshot 2-year-old winner from the barn of Steve Asmussen as Gimmick won a six-furlong race, returning $26.60. She was followed by logical winners Write This Down ($6.40) and Mira Mission ($8.30). The sequence ended with Customerexperience ($19.40), Star Devine ($17) and Mirabell Mei ($10.40).

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has tested positive for COVID-19, he confirmed via text message Sunday morning.

Pletcher texted that he received the results of a PCR test Sunday morning. He was not at the barn Sunday, but said he expects to be cleared to return to work on Thursday.

“Feel fine. Cleared for Thursday,” Pletcher, 54, texted.

Pletcher is scheduled to run Malathaat in Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.